Bullhooks are heavy, hooked tools that trainers use to sink into sensitive parts of elephants' skin for negative reinforcement. Elephants learn to perform unnatural tricks or suffer painful consequences. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, who recently announced plans to phase out elephants from their circuses in 2018, has previously defended the use of these painful tools.
California State Senator Ricardo Lara introduced a bill to ban circus trainers from using painful bullhooks to train elephants, and now California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a measure into law that protects captive elephants in California. Senate Bill 1062 will make it illegal for anyone to use a “bullhook, ankus, baseball bat, axe handle, pitchfork, or other device designed to inflict pain for the purpose of training or controlling the behavior of an elephant” as of January 1, 2018. Violators will be subject to civil fines, and could potentially lose their permits to keep elephants.
The bill prevents circuses from using the cruel instruments in the state of California, and it would also prevent any circus who uses bullhooks from entering California with their elephants.
Rhode Island already has a similar law. It's time for all the states to have this law. Please contact your senators to urge them to introduce a similar bill to ban bullhooks! And for those who do not live in the area to sign your support!
